Death Walks
by Tigereyes45
Summary: After a battle for Lothal Ezra had been reported as missing in action. Sabine Wren has woken up expecting him to be back only to be greeted by the distressing news. She sets out to find him and tell him what she had discovered when the battle was over.


_A request by anonymous on tumblr._

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Sabine felt true fear for the second time in the span of not even twenty four hours. Ezra was missing, the rebels had defended Lothal, but Ezra's foot mission was of uncertain status. He was currently MIA as he had not reported to the rebels since the start of the battle. That was a day and a half ago. Sabine began her search as soon as Hera and her had found out.

Now more than ever she needed to get to Bridger. Kanan and the others offered their help, of course, but the rebels could not let them all go at once. So the others were taking every free opportunity they had to search. In that span they had covered the entirety of the main city, including the spots Ezra favored hiding in. All of them held no trace of the missing member of the ghost crew.

So Sabine was now heading to the next best place. Kanan had already given her the coordinates and she memorized the instructions back on the ship. Lothal's Jedi temple was the only option she had left. Sabine knew the rules of the temple. It could only be accessed by a Jedi and their Padawan. Needing two Jedi to access the temple. Sabine clung to the hope that if Ezra was at the temple he would not be on the inside. If Kanan hadn't been with him then there was no way for him to even get into the temple that was buried underground.

Sabine slammed on the breaks as the top if the temple comes into sight. Landing perfectly, Sabine was off as soon as her feet hit the ground. She had to find Ezra. He couldn't just disappear on her. Not after they had gone through so much. As she scouted out the sand for any sign of him, Sabine used her jetpack to eventually carry her to the top of the temple.

The night was creeping its way through the sky above. When the moon's light finally revealed what she had been missing all day. In the light of the moon lay a lone helmet in the sand. Sabine slid down the temple. Her feet land at an odd angle so she spins at the bottom of the temple to help herself stand up easier.

With one look at the helmet she knew, it was Ezra's. A panic call later and Kanan was on the way. Sabine held onto the helmet as she continues searching for another way into the temple. If the Padawan was trapped underneath, he may not be able to feel Kanan. So the two may not be able to lift the temple. She needed another way in.

When Kanan arrived Sabine was setting up the only explosives she had brought with her. He would not approve, but Sabine had to get into the temple somehow. There was more at stake then Kanan knew. She tied them down as Kanan calls out to her.

"Sabine! What are you doing?"

"I'm preparing an extra door, just in case you can't this up."

"Explosives?" Kanan crosses his arms as the Mandalorian flies down.

"Yes." Sabine was determined. Kanan would not be able to stop her. Still the man tried.

"Sabine this is history,"

"Ezra is probably trapped inside." She interrupts.

Kanan sighs before stroking his chin. "Sabine, listen. I know you want him back safe, but there is a way to do it without destroying one of the last stands of an ancient culture." Sabine wants to point out how that culture is gone. That only Kanan still practices the true ways of the Jedi. Even Ezra did not adhere to all of the Jedis' rules. Sabine remains quiet as she tightly holds the detonator.

"Let me try first." Kanan pleaed resting a hand on Sabine's shoulder.

She pulled away and the Jedi goes rigid. Thinking he was offended that she would pull away from him Sabine hung her head. As she was about to agree Kanan asks her a question instead."Sabine, are you,"

"Two or three weeks maybe. I took a test after the battle."

Kanan coughed to clear his throat. His face was tinted a slight shade of pink. "Right, I will see if I can sense him."

Sabine felt grateful that she did not have to have a discussion with Kanan over it. When she found out for herself the first person she had sought out was Hera. The woman had been understanding and supportive. It was upsetting for Sabine to then hear the news that Ezra was missing. Still as much as Kanan was a father figure to her (just as Hera had become sort of a surrogate mother to the Mandalorian), Sabine did not want to have an awkward version of the talk she already had with Hera.

Or the talk of if she should stay with the rebels.

"He is down there." Kanan grunted as he held his hands out. "Conscious too. I'm not sure if he'll understand but I am going to try and use the force to connect with him. If he is well then perhaps he can focus enough to lift the temple."

Sabine watched the Jedi master as he manipulated the force. It often looked just like he and Ezra were just standing as they connected to the force, but she knew there was more to it. Ezra often talked to her during the nights neither could sleep about the force, the Jedi, and especially Kanan. The crew may have felt like a second family to Sabine. Yet to Ezra, they were the only family he had left.

When the temple began to lift up, Sabine jumped back. She had never seen this happen before. Kanan's description of the temple had not been enough. As Sabine watched the temple rise, hope filled her as well as awe. There was a dark force around the temple that she could feel, but it was beautiful. When the temple could not elevate any higher, it came to a halt with a loud crashing sound as if parts of it had broken. Yet she spied no damage as Kanan motions for her to follow him in.

"Stay close." Kanan ordered and Sabine listened. With cautious steps the two traveled down into the depths of the temple.

The inside was grim looking. It was dark and filled with almost no light. Even being blind, Kanan led the way without guiding them into any wall or broken statues scattered throughout it. As they travel inward Sabine could feel goosebumps forming on her skin. There was something evil about a place that was meant to be a home for the supposed goodwill Jedi.

"Ka-ah-nan?" Sabine heard him before she saw him.

"Ezra!" The shout was Kanan's not her own. For Sabine found herself speechless as she saw the burnt and broken form of Ezra. His saber arm was burnt to a black crisp. There was still smoke rising from it. His hair stood on ends even as his body was lying flat on the ground. As if he was filled with static, no electricity. Sabine rushed over to his side, dropping herself beside him. His face held scars that had never been there before. One of his feet were sliced off and his pants were burnt almost completely black.

"Bine." Ezra smiled at them. Suddenly his scarred face falls. "Go. You have too." Ezra informed them.

"Ezra, what happened?" Kanan asked from right behind Sabine.

"There was a sith. He wore black armor." Ezra coughed. His voice grows hoarser. "Followed him here. Ka-na, h-he could lift the temple. A-a-all on h-ii-s own."

"It's okay Ezra. You can tell us all bout him later. We have to get you out of here." Sabine insisted. She looks over him trying to figure out a way she could carry him without causing him harm.

"Go." Ezra inists. "I-i can't,"

"He is fading." Kanan informs her. "If we stay much longer we will be trapped down here forever. We have to leave Sabine."

"Not without him!" Sabine declares as she wraps her arms under Ezra's back and legs. He winces as Sabine lifts him.

"N-no. Go." Ezra's voice growed quieter as he pleaded for them to flee. The temple began to shake.

"We have to hurry. Here, give him to me." Kanan takes Ezra from Sabine. The two run as quickly as possible as everything began to shake, and fall apart around them.

"Stay awake Ezra." Sabine begs him as her eyes grew wet. As the door appears in their sight it is slowly shrinking.

"Go first!" Kanan orders Sabine. She did not want to, but Kanan would not argue right now. So Sabine turns on her jetpack and takes off towards the door. Once she was through she pushed up on the door, as if that could keep the whole temple from falling. Sabine understood it would be no good but she had to do something.

The door was almost closed as Kanan jumps through it with Ezra's body. As the master stands Sabine calls out to them. Ezra was unresponsive.

Sabine could not keep her eyes dry even in the desert heat. "Ezra." Her voice sounded soft as he she reached for her lover. Kanan held him close to his chest, as Sabine grabbed Ezra's unburnt hand. "Ezra?"

"S-sorry, Sab," His voice fell off, and Sabine's clutches his hand tightly within her own.

"Ezra you can't die. You are going to be fine. We're getting you back to the others and to a doctor. You'll survive."

"I'm ha-pp." Ezra tries to lean over to Sabine. She walked closer but still his lips could not reach her before his eyes closed forever.

"Bridger? Ezra!" Sabine let's go of his hand.

Kanan's shoulders shake as he tries to speak. "I'm sorry Sabine."

"No he can't die! Ezra I'm pregnant!" Sabine yells at the top of her lungs as if the body could still hear her words. Kanan moves Ezra's body so he could hold with one arm still. With his now free one he pulled Sabine close to hm.

"Go ahead and cry." He gave her permission but she had not been waiting for it. Sabine clung to Kanan's shirt as she cried out her pain, her worries, her worst nightmare coming true.

"He can't die." Sabine repeated again and again.

Kanan could not offer any true words of condolences as he held two of the people he wanted to protect the most in the entire world. He had failed as a teacher, and a guardian. "Sabine, we'll help you." Kanan promised as if that would make up for today. It wouldn't, he knew that. Still he promised her all the help in the world that he could give. "Hera, Zeb, and I. We'll do anything for you two." Whether if Sabine heard him or not he doesn't know for the young woman's wails were steadily growing louder. They sat in the desert like that for a long while before making it back home. It felt a lot less like home afterwards.


End file.
